Daddy Guilt
Friday, January 9th, 2009It happens. I know that mommy’s have it, and started the phrase, but we get it to. Maybe not to the same extent and maybe not over the same things, but we do get the Daddy Guilt from time to time.
If you don’t know, Mommy Guilt is that, sometime irrational, guilt that happens to a mom regarding some “lack of mothering”. The big one in our house is when mom is away from child. This can happen when they are working, shopping, or taking time out for themselves in any number of ways. We dads get it too.
I can hear the mom eyeballs rolling, but stay with me.
The other night, Sarah was saying how guilty she felt stopping at the store to pick up baby food for Tony. She felt that she should be home with him. Even though she was getting sustenance for him, she felt the guilt of separation. I had that same feeling while picking up a prescription for him the next night. Like in the 6 minutes that it took to get the medicine, I would lose my chance to see him before he went to sleep. It happens. We can feel the same pull of guilt as moms do.
I had never felt it as strongly as during the separation and divorce. Not being there to tuck Jack in every night. Not being there to get him ready to go to school. Not dropping him off or picking him up. It tore me apart. I still have nights that I get so down about not being with him that I openly cry. I would say that that constitutes Daddy Guilt.
So, where as not all dads may feel the guilt of separation, some of us do. I’m sure it’s the same with mommies. I have heard the way some of the moms talk at the Walmarts about their rug rats. Just saying.
It’s
I don’t mind at all. It lets me give a helping hand while Sarah is at home, acting as a feeding host for the parasite baby. I got to thinking of this on the way home today. I realized Sarah hasn’t left the house other than doctor’s appointments. So when I got home, I suggested she get out of the house.